Catwoman comes out as bisexual

Dressed in tight black leather and wielding a whip, Catwoman has long been the sexiest female character in the comic book world.

The DC Comics super villain has come out as bisexual after locking lips with a woman in "Catwoman #39″ illustrated by Garry Brown, confirming what many fans had long suspected about the provocative temptress.

"She's flirted around it - often quite literally - for years now; for me, this wasn't a revelation so much as a confirmation," series writer Genevieve Valentine said in her blog on Thursday.

For her official coming out, Catwoman, a.k.a. Selina Kyle, has a passionate kiss with Eiko, who "seemed like the right person: intelligent, driven, in that uncanny valley of Almost Catwoman," Valentine said.

"Was it a surprise for them? In terms of their sexualities, not particularly; certainly it's no surprise to Selina that she has an attraction to a woman. Is this particular kiss a surprise? It's definitely surprising; this is the very last thing you're supposed to be getting into on the brink of war, and they both know it."

Having made her first comic book appearance in "Batman #1″ in 1940, Catwoman has been both an arch enemy and a love interest to the Caped Crusader for 75 years. In films and on TV, she has been portrayed by a number of actresses including Julie Newmar, Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway, and most recently, Camren Bicondova, on the FOX series, "Gotham."